Mercury Through The Years...

**FUJIMO** · 11-25-2021, 09:27 PM

...al copeland - popeyes - team mercruiser racing...

**Lake X Kid** · 11-26-2021, 01:05 PM

Look magazine does a 1960 cover story on Mercury Lake X.

Power Cat endurance test boat is featured on magazine’s cover and, one of “Golf’s Toughest 18 Holes” is not.

Click image for larger version.

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**Lake X Kid** · 11-26-2021, 01:17 PM

That Merc needed a head of steam first to get 11 (or more) girls/women out of the water.

Slack tow-lines, and then the boat goes WOT, gets on plane, and then yanks the lines tight and plows ahead until the girls/women get up on their skies.

**Mugs914** · 11-26-2021, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

Would any of you guys know what hull this is? Obviously a hydro of some sort, but I sure can't place it. Front half looks Sanger, rear half is kinda Jones-ish...

Powercat????

Thanks!

Mike

**FUJIMO** · 11-26-2021, 09:27 PM

...yes, racing powercat...

**FUJIMO** · 11-26-2021, 09:30 PM

...kid, two ski's are pretty effortless to pop up on. with the boat proped right, it would not be too difficult to achieve...

**Mark75H** · 11-26-2021, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

...kid, two ski's are pretty effortless to pop up on. with the boat proped right, it would not be too difficult to achieve...

I agree. If I recall correctly we pulled up 8 (small) adults with 75hp for a show

Fat Skis Matter

**Vulture27** · 11-27-2021, 04:35 AM

Weren't they 4 points?

**Mugs914** · 11-27-2021, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Vulture27

Weren't they 4 points?

The one in the pic is definitely a four pointer (you can see the two rear sponsons at the transom), but, as I said, I'm not that familiar with the racing Powercats. I would assume that only the twins would be four point. The 17H singles were three points...

**Mark75H** · 11-27-2021, 10:31 AM

Pretty sure the 4 point Powercat was rare variation of the hydro

**Bob V** · 11-27-2021, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Mugs914

The one in the pic is definitely a four pointer (you can see the two rear sponsons at the transom), but, as I said, I'm not that familiar with the racing Powercats. I would assume that only the twins would be four point. The 17H singles were three points...

From the Power Cat website:

Power Cat Boat Pages

18h 4pt Hydro
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...

...
These are photos of the 4 Point hydro made by PowerCat.
This boat was develeoped in Texas about 1964 and was made only in limited numbers
before the plant burned in 1966. This version of the hydro was a progression of the previous
3 point design and was designed more as a marathon boat for rougher water conditions.
...

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from the photo colllection of Richy Willitt
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from the photo colllection of Richy Willitt...
...

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from the photo colllection of Richy Willitt...
*[this is a different U5 than the one above]
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from the photo colllection of Richy Willitt...
[ U5 4pt in foreground and F77 3pt in background ]
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from the photo colllection of Richy Willitt...
[ U5 4pt mid picture F77 3pt in background ]
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...

Lee Richter from Pasadena Texas
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from the photo colllection of Richy Willitt...
[ driver name is John Siggert sponsor is from Alabama.. ]
...

**Mugs914** · 11-27-2021, 11:03 AM

Wow Bob! Thanks very much! Great info...

**2us70** · 11-27-2021, 11:46 AM

The boats Wally and Paul ran were not actual PowerCat 4 pointers. Some body built these boats based on the PowerCat bottom with a much different deck design. I think maybe 4 or 5 of them were built. The next year tunnels took over. Wally ran a Dutchman and Paul a Galsstron Molinari.

**RogerH** · 11-27-2021, 05:21 PM

Technically speaking ALL of the Switzer Wings are 4-point hydros...with a tunnel/wing. The air dam between the two planing surfaces is very deep, at around 7". Tried to find a picture, but Diablo was all black and you can't see squat under one of them. The 18' and 20' designs were generally the same bottom.